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New world order

Cash-flow models. Crisis management. PR and investor relations. Dealing with corporate boards. These subjects would make a business student feel right at home, but in this case, they’re part of the cirriculum of a course the University of Calgary’s faculty of law is calling the first of its kind in Canada.

In a post for Calgary Lawyer Magazine, writer Heather Gardiner says the school’s aim was to make sure “students are armed with some business savvy by the time they graduate.”

Associate professor Bryce Tingle, who will be teaching the course, says new lawyers can be thrust into several potential roles, including becoming entrepreneurs or joining startup teams as founders. “For all of those other jobs a law degree lets you do,” he points out, “you have to know business.”

A spring in the hockey step

Jeffrey Azzolin has come up with a new hockey-skate technology that features a spring-loaded blade to not only increase a player’s speed but to cut down on injuries as well. The University of Waterloo graduate, featured on the university’s website, says his Bladetech skates provide an “extra step” advantage, particularly coming out of corners, and they can prevent injuries to hips, knees, and ankles. “The spring mechanism reduces the impact on the user’s joints to help prevent joint damage,” he told the writer. “It also allows the player to transition smoothly from the flat-footed to the forward-angled stance, which reduces the likelihood of developing shin splits.” A $60,000 Scientists and Engineers in Business fellowship will help Mr. Azzolin reach a product testing phase.

Busy bee

A great case study in BusinessDay examines the work of Maria Odido, the founder of Bee Natural Uganda, who has helped keep thousands of beekeepers in business by giving them access to markets and providing them with regular income. She organizes them into groups, trains them, and outlines production and financing possibilities. Her company then distributes the end products in supermarkets across Uganda and Kenya.

EVENTS ANDKEY DATES

Is social entrepreneurship for you?

TiE Toronto is presenting an overview of social entrepreneurship. Is it for you? Learn about the process, get introduced to Lean LaunchPad, and meet and learn from distinguished social entrepreneurs on Sept. 12, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Sustainable business summit is back

This year’s GLOBE series, a sustainable business summit, is being held March 26 to 28, 2014 in Vancouver. Topics will range from the role of pipelines and LNG energy developments on Canada’s national energy strategy to the growing interest in European and Asian markets on future job opportunities, and international partnerships and trade agreements.

EDITOR’S PICKS FROM REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS

Best pratices from business executives

In her new book, Upgrade, Rana Florida aims to provide readers with the tools to achieve success in work and life. It gathers best practices from CEOs and other business executives, as well as entrepreneurs, innovative thinkers and creative leaders. This excerpt is from the chapter titled The Power of We.

FROM THE ROSB ARCHIVES

No credit? No problem

Small businesses that won’t take any kind of plastic and only cash need “an incredibly loyal clientele” to operate this way, says the head of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. But there are small businesses flourishing with cash payment policies. For them, it’s not a gutsy move; it’s a pragmatic business decision.

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